Oh, Hey. I Just Woke Up From the Boredom Coma American Idol Put Me Into Last Night. What Is Going On This Season?

I'm a longtime American Idol loyalist. When my friends jumped ship for flashy new shows like X Factor and The Voice (you know who you are), I stayed put. But there's something off about this year's group--anyone else feel that way?

I'm a longtime American Idol loyalist. When my friends jumped ship for flashy new shows like X Factor and The Voice (you know who you are), I stayed put. But there's something off about this year's group--anyone else feel that way?

I'm putting this out there now because last night, when the girl semi-finalists get their turn, is usually my first real gotta-watch episode of the season. (Stangely, though guys often end up winning, it's always the girls' performances that give us chills throughout the season--right?)

Anyway, I watched, and yeah, a lot of them have colossal voices, but I don't know. Meh. I didn't feel quite as blah as I had after watching the guys' round the night before--a lame karaoke bachelor party we must never speak of again. But sadly, none of the girls are really hooking me in, either.

For the record, I think my favorite was Erika van Pelt, the deejay whose "What About Love?" was straightforward and is still stuck in my head today.

And Hollie Cavanaugh, when you reasoned, "oh, there'll always be suckers out there who love a good Disney theme song"--you were right. Sucker #1, reporting for duty.

But at this point--and maybe it's a little early--everyone just seems a little cut-from-the-same-cloth at this point. Which I don't think is unrelated to the fact that half of them can't stop reminding us they've watched the show since they were in the womb. They've studied a little too hard, and now we've got a stage full of paper dolls.

That's my rant--am I being too harsh? Who's standing out to you guys this season? Or have you dropped Idol from your lineup altogether--which, you know, I get a little closer to doing every time Steven Tyler drops another pervy line (sorry, Lauren B, your true love is creeping me out a little right now!)